Inability to Live
by shadowtheo
Summary: Indie starts to notice strange things about his son. Mutt's having a hell of a time at school. Hated by pupils and teachers both, an old enemy raises its ugly head, one Mutt can't fight and Indie's never seen. Can they pull through together?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.

Summery: Indiana begins to notice strange things about Mutt, but even he isn't prepared for this. Mutt's having a hell of a time at school. Hated by pupils and teachers both, and not exactly trusting his father's company, an old enemy raises its ugly head, one that Mutt can't fight and Indie's never seen. Can they pull through together?

Inability To Live 1: Fading Away.

A drowsy Mutt was awoken by the heavy banging on the door of his father. The teenager groaned and rolled over, burying his unusually unruly hair into the pillow. This would be the start of his second term at school, he had been dreading it along with the ever cooling weather all the christmas holidays. He feared it was beginning to show.

A few choice threats filtered from his father through the door and into his brain, most containing the words 'bike' and 'junkyard' or 'grounded'. Mutt regrettably decided that school with a bike was at least slightly more bearable then school without one.

Groaning an indistinguishable reply he rolled out of bed and proceeded to dress slowly. 'Yep' he thought as he glanced at his reflection, surely enough there were dark shadows under his eyes, and his face held an unhealthy pale colour.

Mutt refused to look in the mirror until he had finished dressing in his usual attire, but then couldn't help but glance. He stared for a good minute, seemingly at nothing, and then just as suddenly started franticly undressing again, muttering phrases such as 'stupid' and 'ridiculous'.

"Hurry it up kid you're gonna be late!" Indiana Jones barked up the stairs.

"I'm coming!" Mutt yelled back down, jerking a t-shirt over his head. The kid ran to the door, scooping up a plain brown jacket on the way, but stopped again to glance in the mirror. A very different Mutt stared back briefly, the baggy blue jeans and a white t-shirt seemed to make him fade in comparison to his surroundings. Casting an angry glance at the offending glass he pulled the door open and pelted down the stairs with death-defying speed.

Indie and Marion looked up, startled from breakfast at the abnormal blur of their son.

"Mutt?" Marion questioned lightly at his irregular attire, a frown creasing her face.

"Good to see you're finally dressing right for school kiddo." Indie commented briefly before returning his gaze to his paper.

"Mutt what about breakfast?" Marion demanded as she saw her son dash for the door to the garage.

"It's his own fault he's late." Came Indie's relaxed remark that earned a glare, if he'd been looking. Mutt simply scowled all the way to his bike, wincing as he sat down, somehow it just felt wrong to be wearing this attire on his beautiful bike.

Nevertheless, he still kicked it into life and roared away at a speed that earned him another disapproving look from his mother. Luckily she didn't notice Indie's amused smirk, he would never tell her he was actually proud of the kid's driving, that would be a death wish.

Just as Mutt had expected, the day had been terrible. In hindsight, he thought he should have seen it coming. If wearing his usual greaser attire had been bad, stopping wearing it was an even worse mistake. As he still didn't even appear close to normal, the other kids decided that he was trying to cowardly become invisible.

Having nearly fallen asleep in several classes he had earned himself several hits with various unimpressed teachers' rulers. He hadn't been sleeping well for a while, even though he felt deathly tired when awake, his dreams were haunted with memories he'd rather not participate in.

But that was just it, he was participating. He could be fighting this reoccurrence. He wasn't vain enough to pretend he didn't know exactly what was wrong. It had begun again at the beginning of school, as his initial anxiety about not fitting in proved itself to be true, he stopped eating as much. And it had only gotten worse. Now he could barely find the will to eat, at all.

He couldn't concentrate even if he had the will to, every time he snapped back into focus there would be something, a whisper, a snicker, an outright scathing comment or just a plain memory that made him sink back into dull numbness.

He returned from school in a fowl temper that his mother criticised him for and his father didn't comment on. I fact, Indie had barely glanced at him. In the darkness of his room Mutt slammed his fist down on the mirror hard enough to make it rattle, but not smash.

He coughed back a sob at the lack of concern in his new parent, one he desperately wanted to impress even if they didn't get along at all. But instead of cry he opened his eyes to stare disgustedly at the mirror. Of course Indie didn't like him, he winged and complained even though his problems were trivial at best. He was selfish and stupid and worthless, if he could even earn a modicum of attention from the man then he would be lucky.

Taking a deep breath he calmed himself down and started n his homework, he should be at least trying to get decent grades, even if he was too dim to get any.

"Say, the kid's been awful quiet tonight." Indie remarked to Marion as he helped set out the table.

"'The kid' is your son. And he seems to have had a bad day. Now I know schools good for him and you know schools good for him, but that doesn't mean he likes it, and as he's actually going without too much of a fight the least you could do is pretend to give a damn how his days gone."

Indie winced at the stinging tone of his wife's fury. It cut him deep that she didn't seem to think he cared about his own son. So far everything had gone, if not perfectly, at least smoothly between them, but he wanted the kid to get more familiar with his presence before he started really trying to form a relationship with him.

Somehow it all seemed much more strained interacting with him recently.

"Hey I do care Marion and you know it!" He retorted, insulted.

"Well you could help _him_ to know it, he's just a kid Indie! He's not so subtle!" Marion's eyes blazed with fierce emotion as she stared down the taller man. "His previous father never had the time of day for him either after school. I'm not saying they didn't get along, Mutt worshipped the man. But I think if William had been even a bit more enthusiastic then Mutt wouldn't have kept quitting school after he died.

It was at this moment that familiar teenage steps begun making their way downstairs and Marion and Indie sprung away from fighting stances into more table-laying ones.

"Good timing honey, we were just about to call you for dinner." Marion may have been busy dishing out the spaghetti, but Indie didn't miss Mutt's almost imperceptible cringe.

"Cool, hey let me help with that." Mutt hastily exclaimed as his mother tried lifting the heavy sauce pot and it tilted dangerously. Dr Jones shook his head, he must have imagined it.

After a good few minutes into their silent dinner, Indie could no longer bear his wife's accusing stare at her baby's dull expression.

"So, how was school?" He saw his son's eyes almost shine with the question. Mutt's heart did indeed jolt, partly out of the joy of recognition, partly out of fear of the truth. Surely his father, the professor, would be disappointed if he actually knew the real story?

"Yeah, it was fine." Mutt replied hastily, and although Indie felt a subtle inkling of worry, he looked at Marion with a 'you were saying' glance. She responded by rolling her eyes and gesturing her head slightly for him to continue the rare conversation.

"Have you done your homework?" Marion's exasperated expression was not lost on him, even he admitted to himself that that had sounded cold. Indeed, Mutt's eyes shadowed over so quickly the professor thought he was seeing things again.

"Yeah, its all finished." The kid responded casually 'Although it'll be terrible' he thought to himself.

"Good work, its best to keep on top of things." Now Indie knew he wasn't imagining things, as Mutt's face shone with hidden happiness.

"Yeah it is." Was the quiet reply, before conversation died again, until Marion begun talking about her plans to go visit one of her friends in England in two weeks.

Later that night in bed, Indie couldn't help but feel a surge of anger at his predecessor, a man who couldn't even allow his son the simple happiness at being rewarded. The man that had made his kid hate school. And he didn't care what Marion said, or didn't know. The kid's reaction was no normal one to a healthy childhood. In fact his whole attitude since they had gotten home and he had started school was off.

It was at that stage he vowed to find out all he could about his son, after al, if he felt this strongly about his past father, then it was time to show the kid there was a difference between them, and that he'd got the better end of the stick now.

Whoop! My first Indie fanfic is started! I know this is short but there will be more soon, I just wanted to test the waters!

Please let me know what you think!

Thanks for reading! shadowtheo.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.

Sorry this took so long! Hope you enjoy.

Inability To Live 2:

Mutt blinked slowly as he leant against the school wall. His breath hovered mistily in front of him in the bright coldness. Pushing himself up the wall further he winced, though there wasn't any point in moving anyway.

Soon however, it would be the end of lunch, and he would have to return and face the dread of the classroom.

"Just a few more hours." He whispered, trying to convince himself. The kid gently rolled up his top to see that bruises were already forming on his battered stomach. Angry red blotches spreading out on his skin.

Mutt moaned quietly. He hadn't instigated the fight, like the first few times last term, and this time he hadn't even fought back, even though he was hating himself for it now. But he just hadn't been able to. Each burning insult had ringed through his head with shocking clarity.

You're stupid, worthless, ugly, you don't deserve to be here, you want to be punished really. Mutt let out a shaky breath and pressed his palms to his eyes, hating the way they were stinging with threatening tears. He didn't matter, he only made things worse for everyone, he shouldn't make such a big deal about just being beat up, he deserved it anyway.

The bell for classes rang and Mutt eased himself into a standing position with the aid of the wall. Slowly walking back to class he jumped at every loud noise and flinched at every brushing shoulder. Taking deep breaths to calm his agonized and spinning head he walked on, trying to ignore the nasty remarks that followed him about like a shadow. He wouldn't complain damn it, he'd just try and be good, so that maybe, for once he wouldn't be in the way. And then maybe he might get even the tiniest bit of recognition for it. But he wasn't holding his breath.

TTTTTTTTTTT

That evening, Indy became even more concerned. What was at first a mere hint of a thought was now a crystal clear one. For one, the kid was edging around the room with great care, gingerly performing tasks he otherwise would have charged through. He even seemed to be hesitating to open doors. And for another thing, he was being far too damn social for normal.

Indy corrected himself, 'social' was not he word, after doing his homework, the kid had just hung around till dinner. He had gone and helped Marion in the garden, whilst Indy himself had done the mowing. A right normal suburban family they were becoming.

During dinner, Mutt had actually _listened_ to Marion's woes about how her friend in England wasn't well and how she felt she had to go visit her sooner. He was sympathetic and helpful too, constantly telling her that he would be fine, and that she didn't need to worry. Indy noticed however, that Mutt said nothing about him, in fact, the kid had almost ignored him the whole evening.

This didn't please him especially, but a small voice in the back of his head kept reminding him that he'd barely said hello to the kid, and that that was probably the reason Marion hadn't really talked to him either all evening. So that was her game, ignore the kid and get ignored in return, he almost chuckled.

TTTTTTTTTT

"So is it a 'me or the kid' situation then?" Indy asked half jokingly as Marion bustled around trying to find something to do. For some infuriating reason, to his wife anyway, the kid had decided to spontaneously clean half the house before finally being shoved off to his room.

"No, at the moment it's Mutt." The archeologist jumped at his wife's sharp tone, and gaped at her. Marion stood up from straightening some books and glared at him.

"Look, you may not have cared to notice, but my son is _never_ this helpful. I'm not about to say I mind or anything, but I don't believe for a moment that he's not doing this out of some bizarre screwed logic that's making him depressed."

Now that he looked closer, he could see fret lines plastered all over Marion's beautiful face, making her seem every bit the mother she was.

"He's coming home depressed, jumpy and far too submissive for anything to be even vaguely fine. And do you even try to see if there's something wrong? No! You just carry on with the mowing and then let him clean up half the house with no help and no thanks. He's not had the best life and I thought that having you here would be great for him as well as me. A dad to talk to, but no, its been months and you two haven't as much as had a single hug! My baby's my priority here Indy, and if you're not going to be a father to him then yes, its Mutt, not you."

With that she stormed out the room, leaving a gaping Indy in her wake.

Only belatedly did he think about his promise to treat the kid right. It seemed being a father was gonna be harder now that he was committed to it.

"Well Indy, no more simple observations, you've got a kid to look after now. Home and away" He muttered decisively, if he wanted to have a son he'd have to be a father. Simple blood didn't quite cut it apparently.

TTTTTTTTTT

After a few knocks at Mutt's door, Indy decided that the kid must be asleep, although he couldn't imagine why. He was about to walk away when the smallest of whimpers caught his ears. With a sudden certainty that he needed to be in that room, Indy pushed the door open.

Everything seemed normal enough, apart from the distinct absence of Mutt.

"Mutt? Hey kid?" Indy questioned gently, he peered cautiously around the side of the bed, and froze at the sight. There was Mutt, lying collapsed on his side. Sure Indy had seen the kid sleep before, but never like this. His hands and legs twitched anxiously, his face was contorted into a horrified fear of whatever he was seeing, a thin sheen of sweat covered his head.

It was with great trepidation that Indy edged towards his son, Nazis, Russians and large solid gold forgotten cities under the rule of aliens, fine. One temperamental sleeping teenager, now that was tricky.

"Kiddo, Junior, Mutt, Henry?" Indy tried in quick succession. "Son... lickle Mutt-kins?" That settled it, if 'lickel Mutt-kins' didn't wake him, no name would. Gently he shook Mutt's shoulder, eliciting a flinch and a whimper from the kid. Indy's heart nearly broke at the small pathetic sound.

"Come on kid, let me help." He muttered softly, hearing another discomforted moan the explorer swiftly and gently swept Mutt into his arms, holding him close. At the movement he felt Mutt's body jerk in shock, and looked down to see damaged and confused eyes staring up at him.

"Wha-?" Mutt begun, dazedly.

"Easy kiddo, you were having a rough one there. What on earth were you dreaming about?" Indy asked, completely perplexed. He noticed the kid trying to pull out of his arms with small, feeble movements, and held onto him tighter. It was time the boy worked out he wasn't going anywhere.

"Ah, um, nothing, I don't remember." Was the swift, avoiding answer he recieved.

"_That_ was not 'nothing'. You were fighting demons there kid." He saw Mutt's eyes dart off to the side, looking anywhere but at him, but at least he had stopped trying to escape the hug. Indy smiled inside at the small acheivement.

Mutt himself found the arms around him alien. But, as his father shifted to pull him closer he couldn't help but feel comforted. He shuddered at the memory of his nightmare, and the last arms that were connecting with him. Unfortunately this wasn't missed by Indy.

"Come on, kid, give me a chance, what's got you so scared?" It was a mark of the kid's distraction that he let the 'scared' remark slide. He twisted a little and seemed to withdraw slightly.

"Bad things. Old things." Was Mutt's simple and only answer. Indy hesitated in voicing any burning questions in his mind, the kid would tell him when he was ready, he hoped.

"Y-you know I'm here for you right?" He questioned gently. His expression grew horrified as Mutt looked away, blinking hard. Mutt really didn't know. Indy felt his throat tighten as anger at himself rose up, every kid should feel they could talk to their family. He wouldn't fail his own son.

"Well I am, and if anything's ever wrong, or you ever want to talk, I'm here, okay?" Mutt's painfully hope-supressed eyes flickered to him and then back down to the floor. He started fiddling with his sleeve avoidingly.

"Hey, I'm not lying kiddo, give me a chance here! You're my son, don't think for an instant that I don't care!" Mutt gazed abashdley up at the man, seeing the ernesty in his eyes. Maybe, just maybe, he could become more then a waste of space to him. And athough most of his brain was screaming at him to run now before he was hurt again, the kid offered a small, soft smile to Indy's grateful eyes.

"Alright, good." He sighed thankfully. He saw Mutt twitching slightly at the prolonged physical contact. Indy was determined to put his son back together, no matter what it took.

He quickly dragged Mutt into a swift, fierce hug. His son's arms dangled uselessly at his sides in shock, as if he didn't really know what he was supposed to do, Indy almost growled before releasing him.

Mutt clambered swiftly but awkwardly to his feet and swayed a bit, something Indy didn't fail to notice, but at that moment the door burst open.

"There you are, I couldn't find you…" Marion trailed off, fidgeting in excitement, a strange look on her face. The Jones boys looked at each other quizzically, Indy could clearly tell that Mutt thought she had lost her marbles.

"I-I'm. We're having a _baby!_" She blurted out ecstatically to the shocked silence.

Slowly, both Indy and Mutts faces lit with smiles of their own.

"Oh wow honey, that's, that's, wow!" Indy stuttered dimly as he tripped forwards to hug the tearful Marion.

Mutt could hardly believe it, a little brother! Or sister, he hoped it was a sister, then he could tease her and spoil her, be a proper big brother. Or make her a right tomboy.

Then a steely gloom descended like a rain cloud as he saw Indy and Marion swinging around together. This would be Indy's real kid, boy or girl, he wouldn't want Mutt after he'd got to watch his own, true kid grow up. Mutt would become a sideshow attraction, the kind everyone becomes swiftly disinterested in.

As the baby grew up, he'd get pushed to the side. He could picture, painfully clear in his mind, the little baby would cry, and he'd be trying to help but make it worse, and then Indy would come in.

_What are you doing to the baby! Marion I told you we couldn't leave baby alone with him._

Mutt let out a small sort of chocking noise and covered his mouth, turning away slightly. He couldn't take it, he just thought he'd finally managed to get Indy to like him, was even considering asking him for help straight away. But now the happy picture looked like someone had burned a hole in it.

_Told you you'd get hurt if you started opening up._ Came a horribly child-like voice in the back of his head, he closed his eyes tightly and shuddered slightly. 'Go away, go away, go away.' He pleaded to himself.

He opened his eyes after the lack of response from his head and glanced round to see his parents hadn't noticed, still happily talking about getting a room set up for the baby in preparation.

'Bet it's my room.' He thought morosely, the thought sending a horrible burning to his eyes and throat.

Indy looked round to see Mutt standing with glassy eyes and his hands over his mouth. Part of his mind scramed at him to stop listening to Marion talking about getting baby socks and run to the child that was in his life right now.

He instantly felt guilt for the baby, that was overridden by guilt at knowing he wasn't going to run to Mutt, even though he might not just be in shock, even though he might actually need him. That was then replaced by anger at Marion for not noticing herself, and then guilt for thinking that. Given her recent discovery he couldn't blame her for being distracted from 'Mutt watch'.

Well then, he'd just have to step up to the plate. He'd bring up this new baby right. 'But first I've gotta fix my son.'

SORRY for the horribly long time this took, but I wasn't happy with it, but now I am! Please let me know what you think, or if you're even still interested, your comments really make me all happy!

Thanks for reading, shadowtheo.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.

The plot thickens! A bit crazy and depressing maybe, but still good fun!

Inability To Live 3:

He managed for a few hours. Talking, smiling, joking with his parents, before claiming he wanted to get sleep before school.

He managed to wait even then, just sitting in his bed clutching his screaming head and shaking, waiting for their voices to fade down into sleep.

Once he was quite sure they were both asleep, so asleep a hurricane wouldn't wake them, he crept silently to the downstairs bathroom.

Once he had closed the door, locked it and sunk to the floor in the freezing dark room, only then did he crack.

Before he even registered the sensation of tears forming he felt them trip down his face. His breathing became shuddering gasps as he covered his face with his hands.

Thoughts and memories chased each other around his tormented mind, all the time a cruelly childlike voice narrated his thoughts for him, try as he might to ignore it.

_They don't need you; they'll never want you. _'They might, maybe I could just-'. _You're lying, you hate yourself too._

Mutt clenched his head as he chocked out a strangled sob, desperately trying to be quiet, yet wanting to be heard at the same time. Maybe then they might save him, not that he deserved it.

In an instant it was too much, a disgusted fear possessed him and he flung himself to the toilet just before his scant dinner escaped him.

His throat burned as his stomach swiftly emptied itself. Soon only bile was being expelled, but it just wouldn't stop.

Feeling even more wretched and disgusting the tears refused to stop too, leaving him a trembling wreck on the icy tiled floor.

He couldn't remember how long it went on for; only that after one particularly violent and painful retch, there was a slight suspicious redness in the collected remains in the bowl.

The corresponding fear, and certainty that no one would help or even care, made him cry even harder. He was amazed he hadn't woke the whole house yet.

Eventually, the expulsion of all fluids stopped completely, leaving a pale and quivering Mutt slumped against the bathroom door.

He sat until he could feel himself going numb from the icy temperature. Mutt sniffed, feeling a bunged up, feeble sensation washing over him.

'As if I can't do anything else right, now I've gone and got sick.' The pathetic thought was nearly enough to send him into tears again, but it seemed they'd run dry.

Slowly and gingerly he edged up the door, shaking so badly he was shocked he managed to stand. A weakness seemed to have stolen over him, and he stumbled badly as he exited the small room and climbed the stairs.

He managed to make it to his room before his legs collapsed underneath him. Thankful he'd remembered to flush the evidence away, Mutt heaved himself onto his bed, dragging the covers around him as he trembled violently. He noticed that according to the clock it was two in the morning before his eyes rolled close.

Several times in the scant hours of sleep he would wake up coughing violently, shivers wracking his thin frame.

TTTTTTTTTTTT

"Mutt honey? Get up, its nearly time for you to leave!" Mutt's eyes cracked open, but he didn't move. His whole body felt like it was in shut down.

Even though it was the last thing he wanted to do however, he managed to drag himself out of bed and into clothes.

He didn't even look in the mirror as he staggered across the room, for some reason his legs didn't seem to be cooperating. There was a strange lightness in his head, even though his body felt heavy and sluggish.

The bruises from his attack yesterday ached and burned in protest to movement.

TTTTTTTTTT

Indy looked up as his son all but fell into a chair, he didn't like what he saw. Mutt had large shadows under his eyes, sickly pale skin and had a slight tremor to him. Indy didn't like it at all.

"Hey, you alright kiddo?" Mutt could hardly bare to answer. After a long pause of debating he replied.

"Yeah fine." Indy had never heard him so withdrawn or down, or even near tears. A fresh wave of guilt spread over him.

"Indy? You'll remember to pick me up those books right?" Marion questioned, setting down a bowl of cereal in front of the near-comatose Mutt.

"Yeah, I got it covered sweetie." Indy replied idly, he was focused on watching Mutt prod slowly at the food before him, not even trying to eat any.

He got distracted however, with Marion planting a long list of books before him, and before he knew it, Mutt had left for school, without even eating a bite.

TTTTTTTTT

After he had finished teaching for the day, Indy raced to the nearest bookshop. He swiftly collected all the pregnancy and baby books Marion had wanted (she'd thrown out her old ones).

Indy dropped them off at the counter before heading into a very different section; one he was going to make sure neither Marion or Mutt ever saw the books from.

There he picked up several books on depression, in both children and teenagers (he was unwilling to stop calling Mutt 'kid'), a few on psychology and a couple on eating problems.

Since he had no idea what he was really looking for, he opted to get a wide range. Soon he was stumbling to the car whilst supporting the purchases, and then driving home.

TTTTTTTTTT

Mutt was home by the time he got back, but he didn't look good. In fact, he was fast asleep slumped over the kitchen table, a book pushed to the side.

Indy swiftly deposited all books other then the pregnancy ones in a trunk in his study, before returning to the kitchen.

"Mutt? Hey come on kiddo not this again." Indy pleaded, remembering Mutt's shock at the last fatherly wake up.

"Kid? He tried softly, before gently reaching to shake the boy's shoulder. Indy noted dimly that Mutt's shoulder bone was very noticeable with this hold, and that he was still shaking.

He shook a bit harder and Mutt groaned slightly. Relieved he wasn't going to get as violent a reaction, he kept up the shaking.

"Come on, you can't sleep here kid." Mutt moaned softly, but didn't open his eyes. Not to be dismissed, Indy kept trying.

He kept trying for five whole minutes before Mutt's glazed and tired eyes fluttered half open.

"There we go, not so bad is it? Now come on, get up." Mutt made a few, pathetic attempts at movement, before slumping back down on the table weakly.

Now Indy was getting worried, and so was Mutt judging from the look in his rapidly tiring eyes.

The professor gulped, why wasn't Marion here to help? He didn't know anything about treating, he suspected, a sick child.

By the time he stopped panicking and focused, Mutt's eyes were nearly closed again.

"Come on kiddo what's wrong, talk to me here!" Mutt tried focusing on his father, but somehow his eyes seemed to keep slipping to the table again. He couldn't will his body to move at all really, it ached and weighed a ton, and his head felt like there was a thick fog in it. He could barely decipher Indy's words. He was just so tired.

As Indy kept pushing Mutt for a response however, he couldn't let his new father down again. 'Not that it matters' he thought morosely.

"M-tired, n-cold." Came the slur barely recognisable as his own voice. Even Mutt had to admit it sounded bad.

Indy was so taken aback by the weak voice he nearly fell over; he could hardly believe it _was_ Mutt that had just spoken.

"Well let's get you upstairs then." Mutt barely nodded, he could hardly take the caring tone.

Indy grabbed Mutt under the arms and hauled him upright, the kid barely managed to hold the pose, and immediately begun trembling.

"Don't worry, I've got you." He soothed gently, wrapping protective arms around the failing kid.

Mutt looked like all that was holding him up were flimsy strings, he stood in a shell-shocked state and stumbled badly when Indy started moving.

He knew however, that he wouldn't be doing the kid any favours to carry him, even though it wouldn't take much effort. He was uncomfortably aware that he could feel every one of Mutt's ribs, or any bone for that matter.

After the long battle of the stairs and upstairs landing, they finally reached Mutt's room.

By the time Indy had managed to get Mutt to the bed he was shaking so badly that it was a surprise he didn't explode.

Mutt started to fall over before Indy caught him and gently lay him down. The kid's eyes were so glazed over and unfocussed that it looked like he was already asleep.

The famous archaeologist gently removed his son's shoes and easily lifted him into a more sleep-worthy position, pulling up the blankets around him.

He stood back to admire his handiwork, but Mutt was still pale and quivering, even though his eyes had now closed. His breathing was erratic and sloppy.

Why hadn't he picked up a book on illness as well? And what was he supposed to do now? He couldn't just leave him like that.

This parenting lark was very confusing, how had Marion managed? Then it hit him; maybe there would be something in the childcare books.

He all but catapulted downstairs, grabbing one of Marion's baby books and one of his eating ones, before dashing back to his son's room and settling in a chair.

He flipped through the baby book first, thinking how Mutt would have reacted if he knew his father was thinking about him like a baby. Ironically enough though, he actually seemed to find Mutt's exact situation:

_**Listlessness or lethargy:**_

_Lethargic or listless babies appear to have little or no energy, are drowsy or sluggish, and may sleep longer than usual. They may be hard to wake for feedings and even when awake, are not alert or attentive to sounds and visual stimulation. Sometimes, this can develop slowly and a parent may not notice the gradual change. Lethargy may be a sign of infection or other conditions such as low blood glucose (sugar). Consult your baby's physician if your baby's becomes lethargic or has a change in activity level._

"There you go then, you really are just a little baby." Indy commented to a, thankfully, sleeping Mutt.

"You just need some sugar." Indy concluded merrily, and took the books back downstairs, retrieving some orange juice and the thermometer before going back upstairs. Where he once again begun trying to wake the dead.

Joking aside, it took Indy about ten whole minutes to coerce Mutt into opening his damaged eyes. And even then he seemed to barely understand, or be able to respond to what he was saying.

"This will _help_ kiddo come on!" The professor insisted, dragging his son into a sitting position propped up by pillows.

Mutt's head lolled uselessly to the side, his eyes half open and breathing ragged.

"Good God kid…" Indy murmured, he was getting seriously concerned; maybe he should call the doctor, and where the hell was Marion?

"Just drink some ok?" He pleaded desperately to Mutt's slowly blinking eyes, holding the cup and straw near his mouth.

"Ok." Indy nearly didn't hear the faint whisper, but Mutt at least drunk a few pathetic sips, before stopping to breath shudderingly.

"That's it, I'm calling the doctor." Indy announced, scared to death at the weakness of his son, and his wife's reaction when she turned up and thought that he had broken her baby.

He stood decisively, only to be held back by the faintest of touches on his hand.

'I'm okay, just tired." Indy looked down into Mutt's pleading eyes, even as the sound of his voice betrayed his statement.

However, something (that sounded remarkably like the anti-Marion.) told him not to push the kid's even slight attention away, and at least he was talking and reaching out now.

"Alright, but I'm staying right here, and you're finishing that orange juice!" Mutt gave a small, almost smirk, smile, and Indy sat down again.

After what seemed like an age the orange juice was gone, only then did Indy remember the thermometer he'd brought with him.

"Right," He said, staring at the strange implement, he hadn't needed to use one since he could remember. "How does this work?"

He almost jumped as Mutt tiredly swiped the thermometer from him and placed it under his tong. He then held up two fingers, which Indy took to mean two minutes.

"You know I want you to _tell_ me if you're ill ok? That's just how it's got to work around here, I won't have you collapsing on me like this again." Mutt's eyes shadowed over slightly and Indy felt guilty for the commanding tone.

"You scared me half to death there kid." He added quietly, Mutt's eyes flicked to him in shock, and then, just maybe, he mumbled something that could have been 'sorry dad'.

Indy's heart leapt at the potential syllable, but he wasn't sure, and wouldn't dare ask, so he merely nodded, looking back at his watch.

After two minutes Indy discovered that Mutt's temperature was low, too low, and sprinted around the house like a headless chicken, retrieving every blanket the house held.

Mutt laughed softly as Indy threw blanket after blanket on top of him, the very picture of a paranoid parent.

And he didn't mind admitting that it felt nice, he felt cared for. The warm thought blackened however, when he remembered the oncoming baby, and that this wouldn't last very long.

He buried himself deeper into the mound of blankets and clutched his head even as more were layered on top of him.

It was as if something was slowly ripping, being torn out of him, he vaguely wondered whether it was his happiness or his sanity.

Indy sat, hours later, gazing at the lump that was his son. Mutt's potential utterance of 'dad' chiming in his head. And damn it all if he was getting sappy, but he wanted to hear that said again, everyday, all the time, it was just such a perfect word. And to hear it from Mutt himself as well!

It wasn't long however, before he noticed that the Mutt shaped lump was twitching slightly.

Indy once again heard the pathetic whimpering sound that he hated, it sounded so wrong coming from his Mutt.

With trepidation he leant forwards to remove the blanket that was covering his son's head.

Once again Mutt had a sheen of sweat on him, face painted with fear as the hand near his head twitched. But this time, Indy could see the faintest ghost of wetness around his eyes. The sight chilled him to the bone.

Never,_ never_, had he ever seen the kid come even close to shedding tears. What was he supposed to do? What _could_ he do? His heart was fracturing at the sight as Mutt whimpered and twitched violently again.

"Here we go again." He murmured before reaching out to Mutt's shoulder hesitantly.

_He was running through the house, mom wasn't here again, he didn't know where she'd gone. The six-year-old Mutt tripped over in the kitchen, slipping on the tiles in his socks. Only, he wasn't six, he was the grown up Mutt._

_He looked back in horror at the grey-scale figure running towards him._

"_Oh please God no." Mutt whispered in horror. Before in his dreams he'd only ever watched repeats of the past, now he was trapped in it._

_Launching himself off the floor he tried to run, only to fall down for some inexplicable reason. 'Because that's what happened then.' Before he could even try to get up again, a quite _real_ pain hit him in the ribs and he skidded sickeningly across the tiled floor._

"_Don't run away mongrel!" Miasmas of fear washed over him, pinning him to the spot. 'This can't be happening, not again.' But it was, and in a shorter time then it should have taken, pain was coursing through his arm._

"_Ah!" Mutt uttered, unable to fight the pain, or tears that were starting to blur his vision._

"_You're worthless." Came the sneer from above him, and the truth cut him to the core, but he was distracted by he sudden speed of a boot smashing into his arm again, and again._

_All at once there was a sickening crack, Mutt screamed. Paralyzed by pain and fear the torrent of abuse continued._

'_Go away, go away go away go awaygoawaygoaway-' He pleaded desperately and insanely in his head. He couldn't differentiate the pain any more, he was aware of the ground beneath his head being wet, but all he could do was repeat the familiar mantra in his head._

_And suddenly the ground wasn't so hard, and there was a different voice calling to him, a different pressure on his arm, he could move._

_But still any pressure felt like nails and he shuddered at how wrong and disgusting he felt, it felt. Bare skin on his bare broken arm and he hated it, had to escape from it._

"_AH!_ Go _away!"_ He screamed, wrenching himself from the foreign, and threatening arms holding him close.

Half blinded by tears, and even more so by terror, he scrambled weakly away, dragging his arm and then encountered a much more clearer pain as he came into sickening contact with the floor.

His breath left him in a gasp and his head pounded. The ground was soft, why was it soft?

But then those familiar but different hands touched him again and his skin crawled.

"Go away!" He screamed again, knowing he'd be hit for it but unable to hold back.

But the hands left him, probably to rise to hit him though. He tried getting up, but ended tripping again as something caught around his legs. In confusion he fell forwards, his face coming into contact with what he now realized was carpet.

He was vaguely aware of a falsely pacifying tone behind him, but he scrambled away from it.

Once he was aware he was in a corner he crumpled up, curling his arm protectively to his chest and clutching his head so he wouldn't have to see the oncoming fury.

"Go away go away go away go away." He muttered, shaking violently, tears streaking his face with fear.

"_Indy! _What the hells going on, what's all the banging? And where's Mu-"

Marion's tone filtered slowly through Mutt's head from downstairs. She was back, she was back and now he wouldn't be hit again.

He heard the door creak open, and there were some more, unintelligible words from his mother and the familiar stranger, they were words of horror and shock but he couldn't hear them.

"_Mutt?!" _Marion's voice exclaimed, terrified. There was some more mumbling from the other voice, but he didn't care.

Slowly he let his arm drop from his head, just to make sure that he wasn't hearing things.

"Mom!" He yelped, tripping and scrambling to his feet before launching himself at Marion.

Marion grabbed at her son's shoulders as he collapsed, clinging tightly around her waist.

"Mutt honey, what? Are you-?" But the shuddering of his shoulders and hitching of his breath told her all she needed to know.

"What _happened?_ What did you _do!_" Marion's fury hit Indy like a wave.

"N-nothing! He was sick and I put him to bed, and then he was having a nightmare so I tried to wake him up and he went all, _crazy_ on me!" Indy stammered out, he was still in shock from the kid's reaction and now angry about the accusation.

"How could something like this even _happen_ I told you I was going to be out late today Mutt." Marion scolded gently, crouching down and stroking Mutt's bedraggled hair.

Indy blinked, there was something strange going on here.

"What?" He questioned dimly.

"Well, when Mutt was little he used to get very upset whenever I went away, and he'd always do this when I came back. Even if I wasn't gone that long sometimes. The doctors called it 'separation anxiety'."

Marion sat, soothing the calming Mutt. Indy was beginning to become suspicious of quite a few things, especially with how the kid reacted earlier, and even before tonight.

"Um, did Mutt ever say _why_ he got so, upset?" He tried to sound curious and concerned, rather then confrontational.

"Oh, well he had this idea that someone was hurting him. But his father was always around so we knew that just wasn't true."

Indy stared, appalled, at Marion, the cogs were finally starting to click into place. Why had no one questioned the father? But he was probably the image of the perfect dad whenever they were in public.

This would explain why Mutt was having all these nightmares. And with another sickening thought, Indy realized this must be why the kid was so distant and forced around him, he must think-. It wasn't even bearable to imagine.

If that bastard weren't already dead he'd kill him for screwing up, braking even, his kid.

"Marion-" It was a strain to keep the emotion from his voice. But just then, Marion reached to pull Mutt up, only when she touched his left arm; he flinched and breathed out sharply, pulling away.

"Mutt?" They both questioned cautiously.

"Don't touch it, its broken." Mutt informed Marion dully, carefully holding his arm.

REVIEW!! Come on people _please_, let me know you've enjoyed this, it doesn't take long, it only has to be one word and its kinda depressing, especially as the stories depressing haha.

Thank you to those who did review, it really makes my day to hear from you guys :)

Thanks for reading, shadowtheo.


	4. Chapter 4

...Hi… Soo, 4 years huh? *Runs and hides from angry throwing of laptops and keyboards*

Ahem, I can only say sorry, writers block on the most humungous scale, but I would very much like to finish this story, you have my assurance.

Thank you all for sending such lovely encouragement, you're like lost emeralds! :)

Also: to clear up: 1. Yes, I know Indy and Marion are maybe a bit old for a kid, but I'm not so up on their ages and I just figured they were two people who would never really consider themselves too old for anything. Plus they're in love: they may be foolish as a result.

2. Thank you to Deb Terry for pointing out that half the books last chapter probably wouldn't exist… If I ever revise the old chapters I may sort that out, until then, I hope you'll all bear it: the books really don't come into it much.

Without further ado, on with the story!

Inability To Live 4:

"No its not." Indy answered immediately; there was no bruising, swelling, bleeding or any other signs that the appendage was even hurt.

Marion looked at him and then back at Mutt, cautiously she reached out to touch his arm, but he flinched back violently.

"Don't touch it!" He said again, desperately.

"Honey, its not… How did it get broken?" Marion asked. Her face was constricted with worry.

"_He_ did it!" Mutt insisted, but although he looked straight at Marion, he gave no indication that he meant Indy. Marion still looked at him though, very confused, and maybe a bit frustrated.

"You mean _him_? _Indy_?" She asked, shocked.

Mutt glanced where she was pointing, his eyes widened when he saw Indy, almost as if only just realising he was there.

"What? No I…" Mutt trailed off, staring at the ground in confusion. Marion sighed, there was no doubt about it: she was clearly frustrated.

"Well he's the only '_he' _here, so no one could have broken your arm, so therefore it isn't broken!" She rattled out, standing up and moving over to Mutt's now terrified form.

"Marion I wouldn't-!" Indy begun, trying to prevent what he could clearly see happening.

But he was too late. With a determined look on her face, Marion bent down even as Mutt squirmed away and grabbed his arm.

Indy ran forwards desperately as Mutt screamed in pain, struggling to get out of his mothers shocked grip.

"Marion stop!" Indy ordered half calmly, even though he was anything but calm. He threw her hand off Mutt's arm and grabbed the kid around the waist to stop him from bolting as he panted and jerked horribly.

"I'll handle this ok! Just go!" Indy couldn't help his harsh tone, but for once he didn't care, and for once Marion listened. She ran from the room in tears herself, and soon Indy heard the door of their room slam shut.

"Ok ok, easy Mutt, it's alright its ok." Indy soothed the twitching and struggling teenager gently, holding him close.

Gradually, Mutt became too tired to struggle any more, and slumped heavily, leaning away from Indy as much as possible.

"Ok kid, now tell me where your arm's broken." Indy said levelly, Mutt glanced round to stare at him in shock.

"You believe me?" Indy nodded and a small amount of light returned to Mutt's dull eyes.

"Yeah, and I need to see where its broken so we can fix it." He coaxed gently, shifting so he was sitting in front of Mutt, still leaving a precautionary hand on his shoulder.

"Can you tell me kid?" He prompted.

"Everywhere?" Mutt replied uncertainly, still shaking like a leaf.

"I know it feels that way, but there has to be a specific point, we've just got to find it ok?" Mutt nodded so he continued. "Now, does your shoulder hurt?" At Mutts shake he nodded. "Good, how about your hand? Can you move it?"

Mutt slowly managed to twitch his hand, before managing to move his fingers slightly.

"Ok, I'm going to work up your arm, and I want you to stop me as soon as you feel any pain alright?" He thanked God that in his shock, Mutt had lost any knowledge of biology that he might have known.

The kid looked terrified of the idea, but he swallowed and nodded shakily before staring at his arm.

Indy hated how vulnerable he looked, but then, to him, Mutt always looked vulnerable. It just made him want to protect the kid even more.

Gently he held onto Mutt's wrist, lifting his arm up slightly. Now he was certain that it wasn't broken. The way he picked it up, making the arm bend naturally, would have been agony. Now to make the kid believe it.

Slowly he moved his hands up Mutt's arm, and although he shook harder and harder, not once did he make any indication of pain.

Indy reached a point, just before the elbow, where Mutt wretched slightly, shuddering so badly that Indy was sure he was going to run, or faint, or both.

But there was no pain. And as Indy continued his work calmly, Mutt stared on in disbelief.

By the time Indy reached Mutt's shoulder, he thought the kid was going to pass out from the mental stress; he was pale as death and crying silently again.

"Bu-but I thought…" Mutt stammered hazily, swaying slightly. Indy deftly caught him round the shoulders and gently leant him against his chest.

"I-it was, was it? It was just a dream?" He slurred out, bewildered and horrified. Slowly he raised his previously 'broken' arm and stared at it strangely before dropping his head into his hands and clutching his hair weakly.

"Hey, shh, its okay kid." Indy soothed, removing the hair-destroying hands and stroking the ruffled hair gently.

"But it really did get broken, but that was ages ago." Indy listened in, very curious.

"How did it get broken?" He questioned, wondering just how much Mutt knew about his own past.

"I told you _he_-…" Mutt paused before snorting slightly. "I fell down the stairs."

Indy could tell he was reciting words that he didn't believe, but had been taught to say.

"Is _he_, your last father?" Indy asked, trying but failing to keep the hatred out of his voice, but Mutt noticed.

He tensed in surprise and then relaxed, shaking his head, but before he spoke, Indy heard that sarcastic laugh again.

"No… _he_ was the stairs." He could almost feel Mutt reaching out for help, the slight tremble in his voice as he spoke, but then the kid had detached himself, and was standing, well, leaning against the chest of drawers.

"I'm tired, I want to sleep now, sorry for the trouble." The dull voice was back, as were Mutt's dead eyes. Indy stood up quickly.

"It was _not_ trouble, didn't you hear what I said earlier? And I'm not leaving till you're safely in that bed, got it?"

Mutt glanced up in surprise and hope, before tiredly looking back at the floor, light once again diminished from his eyes.

"Its alright, I give up, I'm tired of this, tired of everything, I just want to sleep." Indy had never heard someone so defeated, and looked on in shock as Mutt flopped brokenly back onto the bed, puling the covers around him protectively.

And although he could see the tears shining in Mutt's eyes, some instinct told him that now was not the time to press the kid.

It wouldn't be fair to wage on mental warfare when he was this tired. Mutt would probably agree to anything so he could go to sleep and escape.

Indy could hardly bare it. Just when he thought he was getting somewhere, some other old enemy returned to the field.

Mutt was broken, and he was the only one who could fix him, and he had no idea how.

TTTTTTTTTTTT

Indy went into the bedroom he shared with Marion, slamming the door behind him with a curse. His wife leapt up from the bed, clearly having recovered from the shock of her son's regression and now worried sick, and confused.

"Indy? How is he? Is he okay?" Indy waved a hand at the questions, not angry with her really anymore, but frustrated with this whole phantom situation.

"Yeah, yeah, for now anyway. He's sleeping." They met each other's eyes solemnly. "Marion, what the hell happened to that kid?" For a second she bristled, but looking closer into each other's eyes both withdrew their battle gauntlets. Marion flopped down onto the bed beside him with a sigh, gazing off into the past as he stroked her hair absently.

"I don't really know. He was always such a strange kid, especially at that age." Marion frowned and Indy stilled his motions, watching her remember curiously. "I always loved William so much, when I found out I was pregnant he took care of me, as much as I'd let him anyway, and when we married he swore to take care of both of us…" She trailed to a pause for a moment, as if remembering something unpleasant. Indy allowed her to gather her thoughts; maybe Marion hadn't been as blind as he first thought.

"I think that when the reality came to it, William had nearly forgotten that Mutt wasn't actually his, and whilst he was a baby that hardly mattered; Mutt was a good baby. I probably didn't realise at the time how lucky I was that he was so happy-go-lucky, always laughing, rarely crying. William certainly claimed Mutt was the best baby he'd ever seen… But it _changed_." Marion's voice rose in pitch as her eyebrows knitted, as if still she couldn't quite understand what had gone wrong from those perfect early days.

"Mutt started growing up, talking, becoming who he is. And William finally seemed to click that this kid wasn't something he'd created. A…_distance_ rose between him and Mutt in his heart, I could feel it. He would spend longer and longer away, was back for shorter and shorter time-"

"Why?" Indy interrupted, curiously. "What was so horrific about a kid growing up? Although I'm sure he was a little terror." They laughed for a moment before Marion corrected him.

"No, Mutt was always my little man. But he was _your_ son." Indy's eyes widened and Marion laughed again. "Oh it was always _so comical_ to me, watching him run around and explore, finding hidden treasures, performing some rather terrifying stunts. More then once I was forced to play 'damsel in distress', not that I ever _did_ of course." Indy chuckled again; he could well believe that his wife would even disrupt a child's fantasy to set the rules straight. "But where as for me I found it hilarious, watching a little Indy running around, it was different for William. I had forgiven you, of course, by then. At east to the point where _I_ knew what you were missing, so for me Mutt was a release, he was freeing me from my past. But for William it was just the start of an endless reminder that the kid he was looking after was not his own. So he began leaving. And of course, for all my remaining fears about you, I thought he was leaving because of me." Indy, guilt stabbing him momentarily, raised a hand to his wife's cheek, but she just smiled and battered it off.

"I'm fine now. I couldn't see how it was anything else for William though, but after he started leaving, Mutt changed too. I thought he was sad, we were both sad, but as soon as William got back I was happy and maybe he just picked it up from me but he seemed happy too…" Marion ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. "I just can't imagine him hurting Mutt though Indy I just can't." Their eyes met, and he knew Marion believed in the man. Or at least didn't want to believe she'd welcomed back the man who had with open arms.

And Indy couldn't entirely blame her for wanting to believe the best in someone she'd devoted herself to… But then he also knew Marion, and what _she_ was like when she was younger. Maybe she'd shown her little man increased affection, and his surrogate father little bonus, when she'd started to fall in love with her baby's personality.

"But what about the stairs? And the separation anxiety? Didn't you wonder what all that was because of?" Marion shook her head, looking at him with earnest eyes.

"You don't understand what having a little kid is _like_ Indy! You don't understand what _he_ was like! Mutt was _always _scraping something, bruising something, even _breaking_ _something_. He fell out a tree once following a squirrel he claimed had stolen Jason the Argonaut's golden fleece, broke his leg and got a concussion. One time he nearly drowned himself in the pond because he thought there was buried treasure in there. He even cut himself when he took one of my kitchen knives to fight off a hoard of aboriginals that were 'planning on swarming the castle'. I had to take him to the hospital for stitches, ignoring the disgusted looks and the thought that I let my five year old son play with knives!" She took a breath to calm herself before continuing, less hysterically.

"Every week, usually more then once, he would have another new bruise, a new scrape, a new bump on his head. Every time he had an amazing story attached to the injury about some fantastic adventure he'd been on. Soon enough I was going spare. None of the other mothers in the neighbourhood had such disaster prone children! When I got to the hospital that day, and Mutt was in _another_ cast, and in his sullen little voice said 'I fell down the stairs'… I was _relived_!" Marion laughed almost at the mere memory of that feeling. "I thought, 'thank god! Colin finally managed to get through to him!' I was convinced that if Mutt actually _realised_ that he wasn't going on crazy adventures, if he could see he was actually just hurting himself, that he would stop doing it. And hopefully I would be allowed some peace of mind!" Marion looked half remorseful, half exasperated. Indy frowned.

"What about the separation anxiety then?" Marion's self-mocking smile was _not_ an encouraging answer.

"Ah, _that_. That begun to happen afterwards. Mutt still got his bumps, and bruises, and scrapes, whenever I was around he always just stayed pretty close to me. I thought falling down the stairs must have really shocked him and he was just being a bit clingy. But when Colin was at home he had to do a lot of work in his study, and boys are never clingy around their fathers, it's a different dynamic, so… I just assumed that he would go off playing again… Only, only _now…_" Marion flashed him an uncomfortable glance. "The games seemed to have gotten malevolent in his own head, he seemed convinced that there was some body out to get him that was hurting him inside his own house. With me it never happened, and he became clingier. When we went to the doctor he said Mutt may have this condition where he's so attached he's become afraid to be left alone, that maybe he was inventing these stories to get me to stay… and that as his father was always leaving, maybe that was why he was panicking about the thought that I might start leaving too…"

Marion's eyes were darkened, fathoming, frowning, it seemed saying it all out loud was drawing together some loose ends in her mind.

"And I _believed_ him. Knowing Mutt's imagination, it really didn't seem that much of a jump, he wasn't a very rational kid at the best of times, a bit to bright in the wrong areas. Just like you… We were told he would probably grow out of it and to try to get him to see reason, to not give into his fantasies and change our routines, because that would be rewarding his behaviour…" Marion trailed off, and Indy thought she had stopped, but when he opened his mouth she continued, eyes still scrutinising some far off point in her memory.

"After his father died, Mutt stopped, he came back out of his shell and helped me, and Oxley being around seemed to boost Mutt's confidence too, because Ox would always make extra time to give him lessons, or entertain him. I thought that maybe, maybe Colin's death had shocked him out of it in some way, brought him back to reality… But thinking back… Mutt was never sad just… Unhappy that I was unhappy…"

They lay there in silence for a few long minutes.

Indy could think of nothing to really say, Marion was lost in her own contemplations. To the explorer however, it was only too plain what had happened in this house, and he could picture it even now; Mutt, innocent and playing another adventure, the father, trying to work and unable to ignore the blatant reminder of whose son Mutt really was.

It might have started as just annoyance, telling the kid to keep it down, Mutt including it in his fantasy world. Suddenly the father was being included in what he couldn't stand whilst being ignored all at once. Maybe he chased Mutt, the kid laughing and playing, trying to catch him to give him some discipline. Until he was chasing for real, to get the kid to shut up, and Mutt all at once realised this wasn't a game; it was something else.

Indy took a deep breath. Equal fury and remorse exhausting him into a flat heap. His son had been tormented, hated for who he was, which Indy personally thought was an incredibly brave, loyal and interesting person. He was very proud of his son, roaring around on that motorcycle, capable of protecting his mother at all costs, fighting soviets with swords, not loosing his cool…apart from the scorpions… and now he found that Mutt had always been a little adventurer.

Indy's heart was bursting with pride, perhaps a slightly odd emotion to be prominent, but he couldn't help it. This was his kid.

They fell asleep that night on top of the blankets and fully clothed, heads whirling with emotions long into the dark.

TTTTT

Again sorry this took so so so so so long! I wont ask you to review, but I would appreciate it if you did sincerely, I have started writing the next chapter and would appreciate any feedback!

Thanks for reading, shadowtheo.


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